1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to the assembly and disassembly of a tubular body, more particularly to a push-pull apparatus for assembling and disassembling a tubular body that is to be fitted into a ring retainer on a wall member.
2. Description of the Related Art
In a blast furnace, air must be supplied for making iron products. Thus, several tuyeres are installed near the bottom portion of the furnace for feeding air into the furnace. The tuyeres must be periodically removed from the furnace for maintenance and replacement.
Generally, the furnace has a wall member with a cooling ring retainer secured thereon. The tuyere is a tubular body that is fitted into the cooling ring, which is made of copper, such that the tuyere extends into the furnace. When assembling or disassembling the tuyere from the furnace, a bar of about four meters in length is extended into the cooling ring from the outside of the furnace, and up to twelve operators join forces to push or pull the tuyere toward or away from the cooling ring. Therefore, assembly and disassembly of the tuyere is currently conducted in a labor-intensive manner. In addition, because of the tight engagement between the cooling ring and the tuyere, injuries to operators can easily occur during disassembly of the tuyere. Moreover, because the tuyere is a relatively heavy component, it is inconvenient to move the tuyere during assembly or after disassembly.